New study reveals long-term mental health risks after coronavirus infection

New research published in nature human behavior This study highlights the long-term mental health effects of COVID-19 and the growing evidence of the preventive effects of vaccination on risk reduction.

The study, conducted in a UK Biobank population-based cohort, highlights the increased risk of mental illness and related prescribing among COVID-19 survivors, and shows that the pandemic has It highlights the extra mental health burden imposed.

Junqing Xie, a postdoctoral research fellow in pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacogenetics at the University of Oxford's NDORMS, to expand on previous research reporting an increased risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders in individuals hospitalized or infected with COVID-19. led an international team of researchers.

Junqing said, “However, these findings are biased toward patients who sought testing for COVID-19 during the first two years of the pandemic, and are more likely to have asymptomatic infection or new variants such as Omicron. Patients were not considered.”

To examine long-term mental health outcomes and the protective effects of vaccination, the cohort was divided into three groups. SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals (26,101 participants), uninfected contemporary controls (380,337 participants), and pre-vaccination historical controls. Pandemic (390,621 participants). The results showed that infected participants had an increased subsequent risk of developing a range of mental health disorders, including psychosis, mood, anxiety, alcohol consumption, and sleep disorders, and this was even higher for those hospitalized with COVID-19. It became clear.

However, the risk was reduced in fully vaccinated people, perhaps underscoring the protective effect of vaccination against the development of new psychiatric disorders or the progression of existing psychiatric disorders.

The study also found that a breakthrough infection that occurred in an individual despite receiving the first two doses increased the risk of a mental health diagnosis compared to vaccinated (uninfected) participants. However, there were still signs that there was an increased risk of further infection. Psychotropic drugs.

Junqing said, “The large number of existing COVID-19 survivors (approximately 700 million people worldwide at present), the increasing number of reinfections worldwide as COVID-19 restrictions are eased, and the Given the decline in population appetite, infectious disease-induced mental illnesses are likely to represent a significant global burden on mental health in addition to other illnesses.

“Our research therefore supports policy makers and health systems to support affected individuals, especially vulnerable survivors of COVID-19, in order to reduce mental disorders and increase post-infection well-being. The pandemic highlights the need to develop priorities and long-term strategies for early identification and treatment of the pandemic. “